Mt. Bromo

We've just returned from a weekend in East Java visiting the Mt. Bromo volcano! I have wanted to go to Mt. Bromo since we first arrived in Indonesia, and we finally had the chance to go last weekend. Indonesia is part of the Ring of Fire, and the island of Java alone has several active volcanoes. Mt. Bromo is one of these active volcanoes and is adjacent to Mt. Semmaru, another active volcano. We stayed in a lodge just a few miles from the volcanoes and had to get up at 3:30am to make the trip to watch the sunrise over the volcanoes. Words can't do justice to how spectacular it is. Check out the photos below! After watching the sunrise and taking many photos of Bromo and Semmaru, we drove over a sea of sand to the base of Mt. Bromo. We then hiked up the side, climbing 250 steps to finally reach the cauldera. It is an active volcano (last erupted in 2004) with steam billowing out of it and a strong smell of sulphur in the air. Oh, and it's cold! We bought matching Mt. Bromo wool hats like the rest of the Indonesian tourists there. It was probably 40 degrees at the top. Nice and chilly! We also spent a few nights at the beautiful Majapahit hotel in Surabaya, East Java. The photos of Emmerson splashing in the pool are from there.

http://duell.shutterfly.com/action/?a=8BasWLJs5aM7e